hm... Seems i'm the only one, then.

Yeah exactly same situation. It's annoying.

I would rather have the +4 elemental resistance :P

u should replace it with the red one, the different of basic/ strengthened stats between red/gold are 2-3 times more than a 10% and u have 2 different stats for each tools. 10% bonus of basic stats is around 20pts if u add every same stats together of 12 tools. So if u replace the gold one with red one, the basic math is:

- As i calculated on my level 17 tools

+Lost: 10% = 20 pts. u may lose 20%-30% bonus, equal to 40-60 attribute pts.

+Gain: around 40 points for each stat x2 = 80 pts extra.

- So u can advance further with the red one and it has potential to be activated 5 natures bonuses.

My advice is change ur tools with a better quality. u can check ur tool attribute after upgrade by equip it on and put the old one into strengthening slot. the stats show INCLUDING BOTH BASIC AND STRENGTHENED STATS. I dont have any other low quality tools to show u here but u can check it for urself. This two just an example , the differences are depending on the quality of ur tools and strengthen level. As u can see between 2 pic below, RED quality has 40 pts higher ( 20 x 2) than the EPIC gold.

1st I changed the stats from red tools slowly to get all gold stats and matching natures bonus but not replace/reforge it yet till have equal power also not decreases the powers.

His tools (like mine) very likely have each one at least 2/3 +4 elemental resistances and all the other primary additional stats in the range of 60/70 and secondary additional stats in the range of 80/100 (vs the current 35/50 in primary and 40/60 in secondary,and +2 elemental resistances).

You do not replace in any way a tool made, lets say, with +4 fire/+4 lightning/+4 wind resistance, +72 nin, +96 damage reduction, +97 critical rate, with a current red tool.

@OP: yes, i am in your same situation. It's annoying they still have not added kage ti normal and hard mode to let us finally reforge them.

Newer players than him and me (i suppose you are among them) are not aware of this fact but up until the introduction of Ultimate Training, brothers farewell dropped only tools with gold secondary stats (and in a tier comparable or higher than the stats you get from UT ninja tool essences) among which there were also +4 elemental resistances.

And whoever was at 43200 power and was able to beat bf hard mode had the chance to drop red gourds that had significatively higher secondary stats that people used to take to reforge ALL OF THEIR tools.

Many people just kept 1 red gourd from that time (like i supppsed garv did too) but did not add it even when red natures became available due to the cost of resetting wholly the tool links (that cost too many gold natures) with the perspective of the introduction of kage ti hard mode that made you reset them again, but they continue to delay it. So just know that if you meet somebody from s200 or earlier that has your same power could be you literally land on him half the damage he lands on you ONLY DUE TO the +4 res he is filled with and you had not the chance to get.

Well im not bothering whit that , i think its not worth the time and effort just keep level up to 21, im keeping the +4 res .

With all the tool links rightly set and the better basic stats of the red tools we still can not reforge and add we are more or less compelled to give up on around 5k free power we should have right now available, free power that oasis deny us only because they do not add kage TI hard mode, whose tools have the +4 resistances and that drop as secondary rewards (the second line of rewards where right now we get only dangos and natures) also the same ninja tool essences that UT grants.

Oasis should have reset all our tools when they introduced UT or immediately introduce kage ti hard mode to compensate, but they did not do it. The result is that every LA region cross server features and decisive bonds feature in the other regions are completely unfair towards the new players (overall towards the new whales that are also those that spend more) that are literally compelled to own 30/40k more power in terms of resistance to be on even ground with a comparable power enemy from older servers.

As you stated and in the past too , oasis should realese new kage tools , thats some solution.

This exact thing is one of the biggest issues in the game. Honestly as someone that doesn't have the +4 elemental resistances I don't feel bad at all for anyone that does and now can't do anything with their tools. Its the sacrifice you make to have that elemental resistance advantage that the vast majority of players don't have. Call it selfish but it is what it is.

With that being said they need to fix the TI so it drops the +4 again and it will resolve EVERYONE'S problems